She didn't listen
by shiro-wolfman-k
Summary: Many times The Hopps wondered if perhaps there was something wrong with their daughter. They loved Judy, they really did, but there was something different about her that they couldn't ignore anymore. She seemed to lack fear.


**Zootopia belongs to our overlords, Disney, I don't make any kind of monetary gain with this work of fiction.**

 **Beta-ed by Cybergatomon. Thank you very much for your efforts.  
**

Many times the Hopps wondered if perhaps there was something wrong with their daughter. They loved Judy, they really did, but there was something different about her that they couldn't ignore anymore.

She seemed to lack fear.

Don't misunderstand; a world where children could prance around freely without any kind of fear is an ideal world in their books, idyllic. But sadly, such a thing wasn't a good thing as nice as it seemed. You see, fear was vital to survive, as long as you managed to control it, it could be your best ally ever. Fear prevented you from taking absurd risks, fear taught caution and forethought, and it forced you to use your wiles to get what you wanted as securely as possible.

Those were valuable abilities to possess as a farmer, much more if you were part of the small population in a world that seemed to prefer larger mammals nowadays.

Fear forced you to look before you leaped. It made you consider if you were actually able to make the jump, or find an alternative to the problem ahead of you. This was how they were raised, as taking poorly thoughts risks as a farmer, lacking knowledge and the means to fix or remedy any error in your work usually ended with said farm going under and closing down, it usually signified having to work for others to sustain your family, it meant debts and bankruptcy.

Sure, it sadly corroborated the stigma that bunnies were natural cowards, their cautiousness exaggerated to the point of making them the butt end of the societal jokes; in fact, there were a lot of stereotypes attributed to lapins that still remained nowadays, because they were based in tangible truths. Bunnies weren't cowards, they were cautious, but apparently some mammals didn't seem to know the difference.

Judy sadly, lacked this common caution, she lacked fear completely. Judy was to put it bluntly, the kind of bunny that would leap before thinking, simply because she knew that she could make it, their little baby was confident of her abilities, she knew what she was capable of, and if she failed, —which was often, far too often for their taste and wallets due to her medical bills—, she tried and kept doing it until she conquered, unlike her siblings, their little Jude-the-dude, as Stu usually tends to brand her, Judy apparently didn't know the meaning of the word "give up."

So it didn't surprise them that she wanted to be a cop of all things. —Curse that darned Jack Savage TV show—, it didn't surprise them at all that despite her small age, said dream seemed to be predominantly on her mind and routine, it didn't come to pass, she didn't forget or change as time passed by.

She truly seemed to desire it.

Which was why, despite knowing that their little fluff ball would not hear them, they tried to, not kill, they wouldn't ever try to attempt to impede their children from reaching what they desired the most, but they attempted to redirect her focus.

They weren't stupid. They knew that Judy's dream was doomed to failure thanks to how things were against small mammals, unlike her, they knew that Zootopia's inclusive speech was merely empty promises, lies to enthrall those that didn't know the truth of how the world worked. Mammals that actually believed that you could become anything as long as you worked hard for it, which was a downright lie.

In this world, you could only become what you wanted by having money. It was as simple as that. As long as you had the money to back up your dream, and were smart enough to use it appropriately, no dream was unreachable as long as it was legally possible to attain. —and in some instances, you don't even needed legality to hold you back—.

But Judy didn't listened.

Not mattering how they put it, how they sugar coated it. Judith Laverne Hopps wouldn't listen to reason. She wanted to be a cop, and a cop she would be.

It was then, that she was clawed when she was nine.

They had told her, time and time again that picking fights with predators wasn't a good idea, especially those that were naturally bigger than you. But despite the scare, despite being shaken and traumatized by the whole experience, Judy didn't listened. She kept going forward, the whole thing apparently galvanizing her resolve into something fierce and unmovable, her juvenile mind already set on a goal. And no matter how much they talked, screamed and fought against her, she wouldn't listen.

And then, she came home heartbroken and teary eyed at fifteen.

A huge fight with the buck that had been her boyfriend since she was twelve, they suspected why exactly, they had fought, but nevertheless inquired about it between sobs and wails. Both parents had felt awful at the relief that it was only a bad break up and not something far nastier. Society liked to brand them as cute critters, but they knew the truth, they knew that their fellow lapins were capable of doing horrid things when they could, there were so many ways that buck could've damaged Judy that they had secretly feared not only with her, but with all their children.

The world out there was a jungle, and sometimes the most ghastly of animals hid behind a courteous smile and a serene temperament.

They tried to coax her to listen this time; they knew that this was merely the beginning of what was going to be a cold, harsh road ahead of her. Ridiculed and ostracized, they could see it coming from her peers, society hated mold-breakers, despite what they constantly preached on movies and popular culture.

But she didn't listen.

As feared, Judy's life in high-school wasn't a walk in the park, but for the first time in a long time, they supported her ability to ignore what others said of her and toward her, they maintained a strict vigilance over her siblings, ensuring to curtail any display of jealousy that could turn the warren into a war zone for the doe. The world was already treating her with ridicule, let the Hopps burrow be her haven.

At eighteen, she came from College, furious and indignant.

They had literally banned her from applying for her chosen career, a quick visit to the family barrister helped to put things in her favor, the law might prevent small mammals from actually becoming police officers, but there wasn't any law citing that they couldn't study to be one. Nevertheless, Judy didn't listened to the barely concealed jeers and threats from the institution and her peers, she kept going, if they doubted her capacity, she proved them wrong in spades by graduating with honors. Then, when they thought she was finally about to experience the cold harsh reality, luck was on her side and there was a politician attempting to include small mammals into areas that they routinely were legally prohibited to be part of.

Contrary to everyone's thoughts, Judy actually managed to be accepted at the police academy, and against all odds after nine harsh months, she once again graduated with honors and surpassed expectations. They thought that they would assign her to their town, were a lapin officer might be taken far more seriously. But to their surprise and her delight, they somehow assigned her to that particular city.

This time, they didn't bothered to say anything against her dreams, against all odds she had made her dream a reality and was about to live it from now on. They still had their doubts, that place was well known for their preference toward big mammals, there were so, so many wrong things that could happen, that could go wrong if she leaped before thinking, —something that she hasn't managed to grown out of—, that they were downright terrified, proud, incredibly so, but still irremediably terrified no less, because they knew that she wouldn't listen. So when they called her, and saw that she displayed all the signs of a depressed and downtrodden bun, they knew that something hasn't gone as she hoped to, they pretended to buy her excuse, even though she was a lousy liar, and while yes, they were exhilarated that she has been assigned to a safe position, they truly hoped for the best, and for the first time in what seemed a long, long time, she listened.

She had managed to do things that they thought couldn't be possible, she had endured so much to be right there, she just needed to keep going.

And then, a few months later, at twenty one, they suddenly found her at their door, heartbroken and depressed.

She wasn't a cop anymore, and they weren't able to ask, they didn't have the heart to ask her what exactly happened.

She wouldn't open up to them, once more, she wouldn't listen. They didn't know exactly what happened once she had her episode with Gideon, none of them had completely comprehended what she babbled about, but her spark which has been missing for days, suddenly was a raging inferno once more, she left, she did who knew what in that city and before they knew it, their daughter was at the epicenter of the scandal of the century, saving the city and society from collapsing into something unrecognizable.

Then she came back with the fox, at twenty two.

They were wary at first. But that darn fellow had the ability to enchant your heart and make you love him despite the alarms blazing in your head that said, he's up to something, that he's buttering you up for something, that was solely for his benefit. But as time passed by, and they saw them interact, things changed, and the Hopps received Nicholas within their burrow with gusto.

Especially when they noticed that, against all odds, against all thoughts, the fox was able to stop Judy on the spot with his wit, contrary to the past, and against their entire attempts to, Nick had managed to make Judy Laverne Hopps learn caution and forethought, if she wanted to jump the schism, he asked her to think about it clearly, signaling far easier ways to circumvent the problem.

For one reason or another, Nick managed to be, not only heard, but considered and accepted by the otherwise obstinate doe, as he spoke to her without diminishing or eroding her dreams and goals, he managed to complete her in ways that they couldn't believe was possible.

Sadly, he was as obstinate as her. So when they hinted about approving of their burgeoning relationship, he scoffed, laughed and joked alongside Judy.

Both of them denying completely the possibility, but the Hopps knew that this time they were listening to them; they just pretended that they weren't doing so.


End file.
